In times of extreme heat in Spain, the Aemet corrects the heat record of 2021. Córdoba turned out to be another place where it was even warmer than 47.4 degrees. In the meantime, Spain is experiencing its third extreme heatwave this year, accompanied by torrential rains and storms.
August 14, 2021 was a historically hot day in Córdoba, and a historic day for Spain. That afternoon, the Montoro-Vega Armijo weather station recorded a record temperature of 47.4 degrees. This is a national maximum since the previous record of 47.3 degrees on July 13, 2017.
Spain heat record turns out to be incorrect
However, this record of 47.4 degrees turns out to be unjustified. Another weather station, called La Rambla-Privilegio in rural Córdoba, was used by the Aemet in 1969 but stopped transmitting data to the Spanish weather service on August 13, 2021. Nevertheless, all data has been stored in the national weather database since that day.
It was not until July 12 of this year that it became clear that Spain’s current heat record should be another 0.2 degrees higher. On August 14, 2021, it turned out to have been 47.6 degrees at that place in Córdoba. After an investigation, the Aemet decided almost a year later to correct and fix the record temperature, which was still measured on August 14, 2021, at 47.6 degrees.
August brings another extreme heatwave in Spain
While the Aemet corrects Spain’s heat record, much of the country remains warm. Spain is rolling from one heatwave to another and it has been feeling like one big heatwave since mid-June. Officially, the Aemet labels the current heat as the third heat wave that started on July 30 and is expected to continue throughout the week. Although last year’s records are not yet exceeded, the Spanish weather service is already registering extreme temperatures such as 44.6 degrees in Candeleda (Ávila) on August 2.
The next few days it will remain very warm with averages of 35 to 36 degrees. In the areas around the Tagus, Guadiana and Guadalquivir, the mercury rises above 40 degrees. Most of the country, will have code yellow and code orange issued for both Wednesday and Thursday due to extremely high temperatures. In the month of July alone, the heat has already caused 2,176 deaths in Spain.
Heavy downpours and storms in some parts of Spain
Until Sunday, the heat does not seem to leave Spain. Despite the persistent temperatures, Aemet expects local heavy downpours and sometimes even storms from Wednesday. For Wednesday and Thursday, the Spanish weather service predicts that especially the northern regions of Spain will be affected.
Also read: July deadliest month ever
